There
are three controversial conclusions we reached many years ago that influence
what we believe and have faith in:

First,
we concluded that the universe is far more complex than most people realize.
The theory of evolution has led many of us to believe that all systems evolve
through a natural process of adaptation. However physical processes on a planck scale that resulted in
gasses coalescing into atoms and molecules and living cells are far more
difficult to explain than the evolution of living creatures. Agnostics and
atheists often assume that the cosmos is the product of some kind of
mechanistic evolutionary process. However it is in fact impossible to
understand how billions of stars could spontaneously burst out of a pinhead at
the “big bang”. Roger Penrose, a respected mathematician and cosmologist,
calculated the probability that the universe could be created at random. The
work of Penrose and others led us to conclude that the low entropy universe in
which we live cannot be the product of random processes, and that it had to be
“designed” to be as it is. Our faith that God exists is strengthened by the
objective evidence that we do not live in a “random” universe.

Second,
we looked at the question of physical existence, of being and becoming. We
considered the fact that human beings appear to be physically aware of their
past only in their present memories. We deduced that if a human being does not
exist in the present then they cannot be aware of their past. We concluded that
if human beings are physical creatures only, then on their physical death their
past, present, and future are annihilated. This is contrary to common sense,
which dictates that life has existential meaning. If we are twenty years old,
almost everyone believes that the first twenty years of our life have meaning
and value that cannot be lost.

We go
against common sense and against the most popular physical models which say
that we live in a block universe where our past and present are a permanent
physical part of the universe. Virtually every theologian and philosopher
reaches the opposite conclusion to ours, they find
existential value in all physical human lives. Many believe that life has
meaning and value even if God does not exist and even if there is no life after
death. Because no one really understands the fundamental nature of space and
time and existence, we cannot say with absolute certainty that a purely
physical life does not have meaning and value. We believe that we are right,
and that belief strengthens the conclusions we reach in our writings, yet we
may be wrong.

We are
convinced that if God does not exist and if there is no life after physical
death then our lives have no meaning. That conclusion strengthens our belief
that the existence of God is what gives us hope.

Some
people are frightened by our conclusions, even though we are careful to explain
that if we experience a nihilistic death there is absolutely nothing to be
afraid of. We make it clear that it does not matter if we are right or if we
are wrong, there is absolutely no reason not to live for the possibility that
life has meaning and value.

Third,
we asked ourselves whether we should live a “fanatic” or a “normal” life. If
love is the best we can give a neighbor, then we conclude that each of us
should love our neighbor. No matter how hard we tried, we always came back to
the conclusion that if we love a neighbor and that neighbor is hungry, thirsty,
or homeless, we will give them food, water, and shelter. That leads us to
believe that if we love our neighbor we will live a fanatic life and not a
normal life, with the hope that when we die we will live forever in heaven.
Almost no theologian or philosopher agrees with us. Almost everyone believes
that if God exists he wants us to live a normal life that is a “good” life,
where we maximize the positive aspects of the physical lives of our family and
friends while minimizing the negative impact on other people’s lives. Almost every
human being believes that God would have us maximize the lives our families
live on earth while still helping those outside our extended family.

A
fanatic life is a very hard life to live. We believe that if you love someone
you will not do physical harm to them no matter what they do to you and your
family. If we are right, then living a fanatic life would probably allow those
who choose to do evil to torture and kill innocent men, women, and children.
For that reason we conclude that almost no one will be willing to live a
fanatic life, almost everyone, including you, will choose to live a normal life
where you love God with as much of your heart, soul, mind, and strength as you
are willing to love him with, and love your neighbor as much as yourself as you
are willing to love them, with the hope that God will forgive you.

These
are the three very difficult conclusions that strengthen our belief and faith,
yet we realize that the second and third go against what almost every human
being accepts as true. We think we are right, but we may be wrong. After you carefully read our publications and understand our ideas, you will
have to decide for yourself what you choose to believe and have faith in.